FlySafair’s policy for passengers who refused to wear face masks while flying had social media abuzz after one Twitter user complained the airline was “threatening paying customers”.

It all went south when a tweet showing a card with FlySafair’s mask-wearing rules went viral.

The card read that travellers needed to abide by the rules and those who fail to do so would face consequences such as arrest upon their arrival and being added to the airline’s “no-fly” list.

In cases where a flight is diverted as a result of non-compliance, the traveller would be liable for those costs, which could be approximately R100,000.

“I expected this from tone-deaf and inefficient state-owned airlines, not one that prides itself on customer service and professionalism. Please fix this,” said the Twitter user.

FlySafair hands out yellow cards to passengers who do not abide by the mask-wearing rules as part of its zero-tolerance policy.

In response to the criticism, the airline apologised for the way the card made the user feel but stressed the importance of following the Covid-19 regulations for safety.

Coming to the airline’s defence, many social media users, including satirist Lesego Tlhabi, said there was no need for the airline to apologise.